The Supreme Court has made it clear that it will not extend the time given to all parties to complete their arguments in the Ayodhya dispute case even by a day.

Last week, the court had fixed October 18 as the date by when all parties should complete their arguments. The date was fixed in consultation with both the Hindu and Muslim sides who are involved in the legal tussle. “If arguments cannot get over by October 18, there won’t be an extra day,” the Bench told lawyers from both sides, stressing the necessity of abiding by the timeline arrived at after deliberation. Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is scheduled to retire on November 17. “Even if we complete the arguments by October 18, we will have only four weeks to write and deliver the judgment. It will be miraculous if we deliver the judgment in four weeks,” commented the CJI.

The Bench then asked all the parties to indicate a timeline yet again with the October 18 deadline in mind.

The lawyers from the Muslim side requested the Bench to sit for an extra hour all five days a week. The Hindu side also assured the Bench that they will complete their submissions in reply in three-four days.

The court said it will sit for an extra hour whenever required and added the lawyers also have to assist in assuring the arguments get over by October 18.

—India Legal Bureau